Grapevine Fires
by CharlieSchulz
Summary: Sclater Urbanski had never truly been happy in his life. He didn't believe in love or hate, and he certainly didn't believe that he would ever, ever meet someone like Tuesday Acosta. But there you go.
1. Prolouge

**A/N: Alright-y. This might confuse the hell out of you, and when I originally wrote it, it was a lot different and in Heather's point of view. BUT I wanted something a little bit more intense so….HERE IT IS!**

**Enjoy :)**

Prologue

OMG. Could someone please tell those two to get a _room_? I mean, I was _across_ the cafeteria from them and I was getting nauseated.

Everyone thought they looked so cute together. Uh…puke! God, what was with these people? And last year, they were marked as 'Cutest Couple' in the yearbook. Ugh gag me now. She doesn't even have _any_ style at all.

Like having Sammy Keyes win cutest couple in the yearbook was disgusting enough, but then-with my, _MY_ crush for like, ever! And she knew! I totally made it clear that I liked him, and she better watch her back.

She called me the day they got together. She said Happy New Year, are we friends?, and then 'Oh yah, I'd thought you'd like to know, that Casey and I are together now. Isn't that cool?' I hung up. Okay, it was totally obvious she was gloating. Then again Sammy never liked the smug type…ugh what am I sa_ying_? I don't know Sammy Keyes. I thought I did but girl was I wrong.

I cried the rest of the night, blubbering to my new cat about liars, cheaters, and a really cute boy I was _so _not over yet. Going to school a couple days later I knew that I was doomed for eternity. They're _still _together and it's been like, two years!

I thought possibly the whole deal with their parents would break them up, but then their _parents _broke up, and they went back to being all happy-go-lucky. Lord, shoot me now!

Jessica, my new best friend, babbled on about something beside me. Shoes? Clothes? That's really all she talks about. Yah, superficial, but at least she dresses nice and is not a complete weirdo. See, because I'm a junior, and I'm considered cool by Olivia, I'm allowed to sit at the super In-crowd, popular table. Which is good cause it's far away from all the freaks, backstabbers and that really amazing guy I can't get out of my head. I call it the Backstab-Sammy table.

Olivia was getting up so we all gathered our stuff. Her leaving is like, our queue to jet off. Like, now. Cause if you were still at the cool table, but you didn't have a cool leader near you-you, well, might as well be Sammy Keyes. Hah!

I go over to the trash and dump out my half eaten salad. I take out my mirror and make sure my makeup's just right before I flounce past Casey, on my way to my senior boyfriend, Danny. Yah, me the queen of cool in grade 11, and the captain of the football team? How more perfect can that be? But I don't want Danny. I want his ex-best friend.

I started walking towards him, passing by the weirdo table with a flick of my hair. Making sure to ignore Sammy, yet still smile at Casey, I looked back up at Danny smirking away with his clichéd jock friends. I was about twenty feet away from him when I heard a loud gasp. Turning around I saw Mr. Acosta himself, on one knee in front of Sammy. He was holding something in his hand, and as far as I could see on Backstabber's face, she was awfully surprised. A horrible feeling welled up in my stomach, as the entire lunchroom went silent.

The silence was definite. Scary, and actually-downright weird. I was about to command that everyone go back to eating when I heard a faint, 'Yes,' whispered from Sammy's frozen lips.

I was shocked into place as I watched Casey jump up and hug Sammy. My mouth dropped as she kissed him, right on the lips. I could feel my knees go weak, my vision become blurry and then…I fell.

Someone grabbed me right before my body made contact. I couldn't hear first, though. I could see. The faces of my ex-best friend, my crush from forever, his back-stabbing sister, and all the others I left so I could become what I am now.

My sight became blurry again as I heard Danny whisper in my ear:

'Marissa? Speak to me! Are you alright? Marissa! Marissa! Maris…'


	2. William Rose Juinor High

Tuesday Rain Acosta looked up at her very new Junior High. She could not believe that after twelve years of jetting around the globe, she came to a pathetic school in some California town, she'd only heard of in stories. Truth be told, she had been born their-BUT at the age of 3 months the new family took off to Japan where they would live for two years.

She groaned for the fifteenth time that morning and her father beside her smiled. He put a reassuring arm around her shoulder and looked her right in the eye. His chocolate brown eyes became a mirror to Tuesday's who saw her own eyes copied. The fact that she had inherited her father's eyes always delighted her. He more…calm then her mother and always looked at each angle of things before deciding a plan.

"Don't worry Rain. This is a great school, I should know! I went here for two wonderful years of my life." Her dad always called her Rain, unless he was extremely upset with her. "And…" he said with a sly look in his eye, "this is the birthplace of the first time your mother punched my sister." Tuesday looked at him surprised. She had heard that story thousands of times. Aunt Heather was being a witch to her mom so she punched her lights out. But that was before she met her dad. They didn't meet fully, until some party. They liked to tell her stories about everything like that.

"Yah so," she replied sulkily, "what do you want me to do? Follow in her footsteps or something?" Her dad chuckled slightly,

"Well, personally…I hope so. But don't tell your mother I said that." She laughed. He smirked-the no smiling rule she had planned for herself was not working. She looked back at the school one more time before marching gloomily up the steps, with her father chortling merrily behind her.

Her father beat her to the door and opened it wide. "After you m'lady." Tuesday rolled her eyes. Her dad was always going on and on about how chivalry is not dead-and that only polite people will go far in the world. Tuesday's response: Yah, right.

She walked into the school and was immediately greeted with a reassuring bullfrog face that said: RIBBITING GOOD SPIRIT. Both her and her father busted up laughing and marched by. There were a few students milling around the front office area. They all gave Tuesday and her father a questioning look. Casey was unaffected and merely chuckled: "Ah…preteens," but Tuesday was scared. She was not a people person. She wasn't exactly sure where she got the particular gene from, cause both her parents were insanely social.

When she froze to spot it was her father who grabbed her arm and pulled her along into the office. He smiled at her when they entered.

"Your mom would have loved to come. She spent a lot, and I mean a lot of time in this place." Tuesday rolled her eyes again, which made her feel like Aunty Heather. She defiantly didn't want that to happen.

They walked up to the front counter together and stood side by side. They waited patiently as the secretary finished up her call and then wandered over to them.

"Yes? Can I help you?" She was a strangely dressed woman, and looked at them both kindly. Casey smiled.

"Yes you can. My daughter here will be attending this school, tomorrow, for the first time and we came down for a bit of a chat." He grinned a fearless grin again as the secretary's smile melted away. Her eyebrows had gone way up when Casey had said 'My daughter.' The family was used to that though.

Both her father and mother looked really young for their ages. Partially because they _were_ young (having had Tuesday when they were both 18) and also because they both had had jobs that involved a lot of exercise.

Her father had been a construction worker in the last two places they had lived, and her mother was a police officer. Now though, her dad was using his degree in history and drama to teach at the local high school. For Tuesday that only meant one thing: they'd be here for awhile. A long while.

The vice-principal came out a second later from the offices in the back. She had dried paint all over her nails, and looked like she was running late for something. When she glanced up and saw the Acosta's she broke into a huge grin.

"When Mr. Cain said that a new student was registering I had to check them out," she laughed and made her way around the island. Tuesday looked up at her dad and saw he was smiling his long-time-no-see smile, "Casey Acosta, it's been years." The mystery teacher and her dad embraced. He chuckled.

"Miss Kuzkowski! You haven't changed a bit since Junior High." He let go of her a gestured to his daughter. "This is my daughter, the lovely Tuesday Rain." The vice principal smiled at her kindly, and she decided she liked Ms. K.

"Beautiful name. What's it after, if I might ask?" Tuesday rolled her eyes. Here it comes…

"Well my wife, Sammy's favourite song by Lynyrd Skynyrd and then mine, by Darrel Cole & the Troublemakers." Miss K's eyes grew huge, as if she were just remembering something.

"Of course! I forgot you married the wonderfully talented Miss. Keyes! How is she? My lord, you don't across students like her very often."

Casey chuckled, "She's very good. She really wanted to be here but…she has a job interview for a sergeant at the local police station." Casey smiled, remembering, "An old friend called her up." Ms. K nodded her head like a bobble head doll. She looked back up at the clock, hanging above the door.

"I'm so sorry, but I have an art class to teach. All of Tuesday's records are in order and please, take a tour of the school if you wish." And then she was gone. Tuesday looked up at her dad questioningly.

"So…you know her?" He laughed loudly and walked out of the office.

"Yah. She was my seventh and eighth grade art teacher. Your mother's too. Hasn't changed a bit." He was walking down the steps at a fast pace and Tuesday struggled to go after him. They piled into the old station wagon.

"Dad?" She spoke after a couple of minutes in the car.

"Rain?" He said, mocking her.

"Why did we leave so quickly?" Casey looked her right in the eye and said,

"We're on meal duty I'm afraid." She nodded. "You okay Rain?" She nodded again. A few seconds passed. Then,

"Dad?"

"Rain?"

"It wasn't so bad."

Casey's smile could have blinded the angels up in Heaven. Not only did his daughter like the meeting place of her parents, but in an hour or so-he'd be reunited with the love of his life and hopefully she'd bring an old friend with her.

**A/N: So for people, all purposely confused-the prologue has SOMEHING to do with this chapter but its set 14 years previously.**

**The two songs that Tuesday Rain is named after are: Waitin' for the Rain to Fall….the song Casey & Sammy dance to in the D.G and also one of my favourite songs: Tuesday's Gone with the Wind. If you've never heard it—DOWNLOAD IT FOR GOODNESS SAKE.**

**Now I'm an atheist—but for everyone who celebrates it:**

**HAPPY GOOD FRIDAY!**

**AND…**

**MERRY EASTER!!!!**

**Or Joyeuse Paques, for all you Frenchies :) **


	3. Meatballs

**A/N: So it's been awhile. I am sorry…if anyone is actually reading this. I liked the idea of having Casey&Sammy having multiple children…just read and you'll get the gist of it. If anyone's been wondering I have spent the last couple of weeks doing exciting things like: reading Harry Potter fanfics, watching That 70's Show, eating chocolate, being annoyed by my best friend who likes this guy at my school (BARF), and watching random Fred videos on youtube.**

**CROSS YOUR FINGERS FOR PITTSBURGH TONIGHT!! Going up against Detroit—again!!**

Tuesday and Casey came home to spaghetti with extra meatballs and her mother muttering to someone in Italian. When Sammy saw her enter she said goodbye to the person on the phone and went in to greet them.

"How was the school? Same old, same old? Or did they renovate?" She asked, her arms swung around her husband's neck. He leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips while Tuesday looked away. Her parents were very romantic and that could creep anyone out.

She sat down next to their huge Newfoundland Labrador dog, Fez. He licked her in welcome. Just as Sammy let go of Casey to check out the pasta, a young man with flaming red hair appeared down the stairs.

"Hey ma, do we have anymore of those Scottish chocolate bars?" He asked with his head in the refrigerator. After a full inventory of the appliance he sat on the floor with his sister and played with the dog. Casey answered instead on Sammy, as she was calling everyone else down for dinner.

"No we ran out three days ago Lennon, I thought you'd remember as you ate them all," Lennon shook his head and helped his father set the table for dinner. "Oh and Rain, can you go get Shirley? Rider's supposed to be watching him but I'm afraid all he's done is play on his computer."

Tuesday reluctantly rose from the ground and headed towards the stairs. On the way up she met her older-by-one-year-and-he'll-never-forget-it brother Rider. He was dragging behind him what looked to be an exact replica of Frodo Baggins' cloak. Probably Lennon's so Rider would most likely be in a headlock when she returned to the kitchen.

When she reached the final step she glanced into Lennon's room and saw her youngest brother lying on the floor. He was playing with an empty, thank God, box of matches. Tuesday scooped him up-which caused him to bawl his eyes out. Leaving the room she was almost trampled by two identical red-haired little boys. She sighed as her younger twin brothers, Wright and Gilmour, beat her down the stairs.

Hitting the final step while still trying to restrain Shirley, she glanced up. Her four brothers were crowded around the gigantic picnic table that currently occupied the dining room. Her father sat down as she came in, pushing an unwilling Shirley into his high chair. Sammy came in with her apron still on, holding a steaming pile of pasta in one hand and sauce in the other. She yelled to Lennon in German to grab the meatballs and he came back with a huge red bowl. Tuesday grabbed it from her brother and after placing it delicately on the table, she sat down on her seat next to Rider.

"Mangez!" Her mother exclaimed in French and they all piled in. For a couple minutes they were all silent, enjoying the meal. Casey, as usual, broke the silence.

"I saw Ms. K, the old art teacher today. Looks the same roughly. She must be getting up there though…" Sammy replied actively but her voice was droned out by the argument Rider and Tuesday had started.

"No way, Harry Potter 5 is the best, everyone knows that!"

"Uh excuse me? Do I need to clean out my ears? The fourth is the best!" Lennon joined the argument enthusiastically as Wright and Gilmour began to make Shirley cry with their funny faces.

"The seventh one ties up the series. Most action, biggest war. Clearly it's the best!"

"…haven't seen her since eighth grade…"

"Ah, c'mon Shirley we were just kidding! Ma, tell Shirley we were kidding!"

"…Dumbledore's Army? I mean come on!"

"…made some ugly eye thing she loved for some reason…"

"Gilmour get off your brother!"

"But when he tackles the Horntail with the Firebolt! You got to admit…"

"…principal of the school far as I reckon…"

"Someone's at the door!!"

That quieted the family up as they heard the soft chimes of their state-of-the-art 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' doorbell. Fez's barks soon drowned the music as Sammy got up excitedly. She skipped to the door with Casey on her heels, also smiling. Tuesday and company heard the door open and greetings occur.

"O my goodness! It's you two! Haven't seen you in ages. Still your ugly selves I see…ow, Sammy I was kidding!"

"When are you ever not kidding, Billy?" they heard the low voice of their father creep up to the ear canal's.

"Speaking of kids, how'd you like to meet ours?" Rider strained forward at the sound of someone taking their shoes off. Tuesday pulled him upright just as their parents came in, leading a tall, well built man about their parent's age.

He gasped slightly and said, "These all yours? My you've been busy!" Sammy slapped his arm and then introduced them.

"Billy, the one in green is Lennon, beside him with the dark hair is Rider followed by our little girl Tuesday," Tuesday smiled weakly as the stranger grinned at them all in turn, "On the other side there's Gilmour and Wright-don't try to figure which is which, you'll only get confused, and finally our little charmer: Shirley." The stranger gave a low whistle.

"Six kids. You guys better pray they don't all want to go to college." Fez chose this moment to welcome the newcomer. He almost knocked the man over as he jumped and barked and hollered. Casey grabbed him by the collar then laughed.

"Sorry about Fez. Found the dog in Canada while we were there and just couldn't give him up." The stranger laughed,

"Alright, I admire the dog loyalty." The children all smiled slightly and agreed silently. They liked this man. Casey asked him to sit and so the stranger sat, right in between the twins and grabbed a plate loaded with spaghetti.

"So," he said breaking the silence that had again risen among the table, "Canada eh? Haha…I mean you've certainly moved around a bit?" Casey was about to answer but Rider cut him off.

"We've lived in Germany, Italy, Saskatchewan, PEI, Australia, Spain, Hawaii, and most recently Scotland." He thought for a second, "Oh and we hung out in a Boston airport for a week during Christmas break when I was five too."

An awkward kind of silence entered the room as the stranger, Billy, began to digest it all. Casey took a few false starts on a conversation topic before he came up with,

"How about you?" Billy laughed and ate another meatball.

"Same old Casey I remember from school. I've been good. Miss you guys a lot, heck I've only got Danny around to keep me company. Holly stops by from time to time with Dot but for the most part…"

"Oh right!" Sammy exclaimed, "I forgot that Holly and Dot own a restaurant together. They told me in a letter couple years back." Casey took a sip of water than said,

"Danny? He still lives around here?" Billy nodded.

"Yep. Has two kids, boy and a girl. Twins," He patted Wright and Gilmour on the back. "Good kids for the most part. I don't see him and the children so often though…the wife hates me you see…" he chuckled loudly.

"The wife? Anyone we know?" Casey asked slurping up his spaghetti none too silently. Sammy silently scolded him as Billy laughed again.

"Oh that bitc- uh…girl Marissa. You know…ex-best friend?"


	4. Glass Onion

**This chapter is dedicated to my awesome beta and readers, Something Corporate, and a fantastic song by Spoon: The Two Sides of Mousier Valentine.**

He sat at the table, head resting on his hand that were perched directly over a comic book about vampires. But he wasn't reading it. Instead he was listening to the trickle of voices that came from behind the slightly opened kitchen door.

"Sclater was sitting in the dining all alone waiting for you to come home!"

"Look Louise, I had a meeting that I just couldn't get out of. And my husband is getting home in a couple of minutes, so just keep quiet."

"But—"

"No Louise. You work for me, remember? Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go see my son."

Sclater looked up in time to see his mother walk in, pale but still glowing like a runway model. This is what she looked like, and acted more like than a mom. A model.

"Hey honey!" she dropped a cheek on his pale cheek and sat down beside him, "you wouldn't believe how crazy the office was today! So how was school?"

"Uneventful," Came Sclater's reply. He was notorious for answering in one word sentences, especially in the presence his parental unit.

"Oh sweetheart…I feel like we haven't talked in ages!"

"…Really?" asked Sclater, looking at the giant wipe-off calendar in front of him. It was entirely filled up with his nanny's handwriting; every date filled in with the washed-out colours of blue and green and pink Sharpies.

"I don't know anything about your classes…or if you're into any girls—"

"Nope," interrupted Sclater with a side glance to his mother.

"To the first or second question?" joked Marissa half-smiling.

"Both." He answered the 13 year old boy looked around hesitantly, "Dad?" he asked.

"He'll be home in a few," his mother said, attempting to look cheerful. But Sclater could see the unhappiness in her eyes. "So during dinner, once we find Adia, we'll be all family like again. Isn't that great?"

Sclater nodded, with slight sarcasm, "Great," as he looked around the room, then back at his mother. "When?"

"When, what dear?" she asked back looking confused.

"Dinner."

"Oh…Louise is just making it now."

Sclater nodded. His deep, dark blue eyes rolled up to the ceiling and then back down to his mother. She smiled slightly and reached over, touching the dark brown curls that clustered around his ears. Sclater wrinkled nose slightly at the touch

"Do you know where Adia is, dear?" asked Marissa with a careful sigh, as she dropped her hand and got up from her chair.

"Bedroom."

His mother left through the opposite door she came into and Sclater, giving a great sigh of relief, returned to his comic book. (and actually reading it this time)

-0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-

Dinner at the Urbanski household was usually a solemn affair. On a regular day Sclater and his twin sister Adia would be in the kitchen, barley making conversation, doing their own things whilst still eating. For Sclater, this often meant watching a soccer/football/hockey game….hell, even darts, if it was on. He liked the feeling of eating while others were exercising.

Adia preferred to have her cell phone opened at all time so she could text her long list of friends. Almost all of her friends were Sclater's too, but he liked talking to people face-to-face rather than virtually. It was better to see their reaction then just get the shorthand, acronym version.

Sclater sat uncomfortably at the ornate dinner table, next to his sister who was equally just as stiff. His mother was at one end, his father at the other, and his boss and his wife were directly across from the twins, eating the carefully made salmon fillet with roasted potatoes and steamed green beans.

"Thank you Rosie," smiled Mrs. Urbanski as the servant handed her a glass of red wine and fled the room, "I just love your dress Mrs. Harriet! You have to tell me where you got it!"

"Oh, just this little boutique down the way," answered the rich woman, her silver tooth filling shining through her smile, " I can't stand to shop in malls anymore, I feel too much like those white trash woman that spend all their time sitting in the food court with their children on leashes. I mean, really what is the world coming to?"

"I couldn't agree more," said Marissa with a slight shake of the head and a gentle frown, "There ought to be laws about that sort of thing, am I right?"

"So," intervened Mr. Urbanski, "How's school going Sclater? You try out for any sports teams, or anything?"

"Fine," the boy replied, as he stuck more beans into his mouth.

"And you Adia?"

"Well," said the girl with a swish of her long, wavy, brown hair. Her hazel eyes sparkled as she began her story. Something about the way she spoke immediately drew the parents, and the Harriets in closer, interested in what the 13 year old had to say.

"Today at school I was sitting in geometry, absolutely insane class, I mean boring as a San Jose versus Minnesota Wild hockey game. And then, who comes bolting into the classroom but this one," she pointed to her brother who turned a slight innocent shade of pink, "gasping for breath and speaking faster than Oscar winners at their acceptance speeches. Luckily enough Ms. Sawyer has a soft spot for him, otherwise he'd have been so screwed. So anyway, the doofus takes a seat down next to Tyler Highmore, who naturally starts this whole debate about whether or not late students should have to eat their own eyes out for being tardy. And while everyone's running off about that, no one noticed Sally Henkins and Bob Hope making out in the back row. So then Tyler turns around and says 'George, it's too early in the morning for tongue!' And the whole place goes up in laughter as Sally turns all red. It was pretty intense."

Silence followed. Sclater's mouth was slightly upturned, which for him meant a lot. He almost never smiled-and only laughed on every other blue moon. Danny looked at his shocked boss and quickly turned the subject around to golf.

"Nice one," whispered Sclater in Adia's ear. She grinned at her brother, who had resumed his smooth, blank face. But there was a slight twinkle in his eye that had not been there before, and she took pride in the fact that she had broken "The Rock" that night.

"Thanks. I was going to talk about how I caught you and Michelle Davies in the hall at last period, but I figured the 'rents didn't need to know all about your social life."

Sclater turned slightly pink. Adia continued with a wicked grin.

"I didn't know you two were dating. It's kind of weird if you ask me." The boy gave her a dark look and turned to his dad, who was explaining to his wife about this police officer's picnic that was happening in a couple days' time.

"…and we've all been invited by Billy, you know how he gets." Sclater watched his mother's face get tight around the edges at the use of the completely normal name. Adia and he knew who the Billy was in reference to. His dad was talking about Billy Pratt, the man of madness. HE had always like the twins, and the twins liked him back. He was often in their school, warning people against drugs, sex, bullying and harassment. Adia always thought that he was a kid inside but Sclater disagreed. Billy, to him at least, looked like he was missing something in him that he needed to have in order to function, and the crazy, happy-go-lucky act seemed like just that, an act. But Sclater quickly dismissed the idea and focused on the sudden tension filled table.

There was a noise of the kitchen door opening and Louise bustled into the room, breaking the unwanted eye contact between the Urbanski spouses. Louise headed down the table to where Danny sat and declared that dessert had been made.

"Thank you Lou," said Sclater after the silence after her proclamation was too much to bear. It was the longest sentence he had said all night and Louise smiled at him. She stood behind him, her big, warm, brown hands on his shoulders as the other servants clattered around the table with the apple pie plates. Just before she left, she leaned down and kissed Adia on top of her toffee coloured hair, and planted an affectionate peck on top of Sclater's curly haired face. Marissa watched on, slight jealousy washing over her as she viewed her children. _Some days I swear they love that Louise more than me_, she thought haughtily. She turned towards her apple pie and let the thought run away, as she dug into the beautiful, handmade cake.

The twins ate quickly and quietly, hoping that excusing themselves would be a close opportunity. There was an episode of Glee on that Adia did not want to miss, and Sclater was looking forward to a boxing match, viewed directly from his own flat screen. The children shoved the gorgeous pie down their throats as their father's boss asked questions about the newest program to Danny.

At last the time came and the 13 year olds excused themselves, Adia babbling about homework and stuff while Sclater looked on. They soon left the room, pausing only as the boy held open the door for Rosie, as she cleared the table from unwanted dishes. He distinctly heard a comment made by his father's boss, just before he left,

"The boy doesn't talk much, does he?"

This simple statement brought a laugh in Sclater's eyes and a smile.

Well, almost a smile.

Almost.

**A/N: Okay….no real excuses for putting this out now…what, the last time I updated this was….June?? Dear lordy…. **

**Happy March Break :) **


	5. First Day

It was complete and utter chaos.

It was mind-numbingly insane.

It was…the first day of school for the Acosta household.

Tuesday sat at the kitchen table, watching her mother swoop back and forth between the bagels in the toaster and Shirley, crying on her shoulder. She watched as her father came bounding down the small, squeaky stairs in a tie, grabbing a blueberry muffin and kissing her mom on the cheek.

"This is insanity! Shirley baby, please-for the love of all that is holy-please baby, quiet alright? Please honey, I really need this right now!" She heard her mother plead and Tuesday rolled her eyes trying to focus on the book in front of her nose. It was Charlie Brown, which would usually have kept her mind intact, but there was something about the day, something that made it nearly impossible for the girl to sit still and read.

"Hey mum, did you see my striped Ramones shirt?" Came Rider's slightly bored voice as he stomped down the stairs. "I can't find it anywhere," He appeared in the kitchen, clad only in baggy jeans and blue socks. The birthmark, shaped a bit like Idaho, on his stomach was visible, as was the 2 feet long scar on his back. The scar came from the fire that stormed through his room when he was 3, a main reason in why the Acosta's left Santa Martina in the first place.

But more on that later.

"Did you check the laundry room?" asked Sammy, buttering the toast while still holding onto the infant in her arm.

Rider wrinkled his freckled nose for a second, then cocked his head to the right before saying, "I think so. Yep, Lennon asked me the same thing 15 minutes ago when I asked him. Oh, P.S he left with dad. High school starts earlier and all that." He took a seat next to Tuesday, grabbing the other Pop Tart from her package and munching on it. His gray eyes swiveled to meet hers.

"What's wrong with you Maniac Monday?" Tuesday rolled her eyes and finished the rest of her breakfast, refusing to answer his question. Everyone had completely forgotten her the whole morning, and she wasn't up for small talk with him.

"Where are the twins?" asked Sammy, buttering up the last of the 10 bagel halves and putting them all on a plate.

"Mrs. Next Door took them to kindergarten, just like she said she would," Tuesday said.

"Oh that's good…good," Shirley was still screaming as she sat down with him, "Rider please hold him, my ear has gone partially deaf." She handed the baby off to his brother and as soon as the dark haired boy had him in his grip the infant stopped crying. He smiled, shifted a little, then fell asleep.

The 3 people around the table looked at the baby in disbelief. "Unbelievable," was Sammy's only comment, looking very much like she would prefer to be comatose for the next sixteen years then have to go to work that morning.

"And you doubt my awesomeness," said Rider smugly, looking down at his little brother proudly. Tuesday rolled her eyes in annoyance and looked down.

She was confused with what she saw there.

"Uh mum?"

"Yeah sweetpea?" Sammy asked Tuesday, who had probed the question.

"Why'd you make so many bagels? Ride and I just ate and you don't even like them."

Sammy looked at the plate in front of her, filled with grain goodness, "I thought that everyone would. . . and then the stupid. . . and. . . you know what? It's not worth it." Sammy sighed loudly, grabbing the rest of Rider's half eaten Pop Tart. The boy protested but she ignored him, "This is going to be a long day, I can feel it."

"I second that," agreed Tuesday under her breath.

-o_o-

Sclater Urbanski sat at the breakfast table, book in hand, as he ate his Cheerios. Maids and cooks were bustling around him, but he didn't pay them much attention, preferring to just read Hamish X and the Hollow Mountain instead. It was with dignity that he ate, making sure that he made no noise against the bottom of the bowl with his spoon and no slurping as he drank up the cereal. He believed in manners, having been brought up with them at a young age, and even if he was fooling around with his friends, he always maintained them.

Sclater thought himself to be rather boring. In fact, he really wasn't, but with such a well-groomed childhood one couldn't blame the kid. He was combed and clean, and extremely handsome by anyone's standards. But Sclater always secretly wished he was different…or at least more modern.

But more on that later.

After the rings of cereal were finished, and he placed a beige bookmark in his book, he went to find his shoes. The chauffeur at his house always offered to drive him to school, but there was a reason Sclater woke up early (but not yet early enough to catch the workaholic that was his father). He liked to walk to school.

With Adia still fast asleep in her room and his backpack over shoulder, he took off down the long, winding, cobble-stoned pathway. The courtyard to his house was majestic and Sclater looked at it a little shyly, like it was someone else's home.

Once he hit the gate, a little Sri Lanka-born man ran out and opened it for him. The boy smiled at him slightly before taking off in the direction of the outside world, away from the crazy suburban area his house lay in.

It took twenty minutes to get out of the million-dollar home area. When he hit the spot just outside Santa Monica he sat down for a second, grabbing a piece of gum from his pocket. He chewed on it thoughtfully, enjoying the tangy grape flavour, before heading down to the town, contemplating what would happen throughout the day.

He passed the strange houses with the wide porches, the high school, the police station, the astrology place. Next came the more family homes and he saw kids running wild onto a bus across the street.

Sclater heard arguing as two kids came out of the house to his right. He didn't stick around to find out what the debate was about, and cut through the park, heading directly to his school. It was still and quiet as he passed the jungle gym, stepped around the swings, and nodded at the old woman, feeding pigeons and knitting on the graffiti filled bench.

As soon as he got to school property he felt at home. This was where he ruled. William Rose Junior High was his empire and he was the king. It was here that no one cared that he didn't talk much. Here was the place where all the girls loved him, he could do whatever he wanted, and nothing could touch him.

It felt nice to be back.

-0_0-

Tuesday Rain and Rider stood in the school office awaiting their verdict. People were bustling about around them, children looking for late slips and secretaries handing them out, but for the two teens it was routine. They had been to thousands of school before, it felt, and they were all the same. It didn't matter if the kids spoke Italian or had Australian accents or all hated Anne of Green Gables with a passion, a school setting was still a school setting.

And they were sick of it.

"Alright," came a voice behind them. They turned and saw a pretty, mid thirties woman walk up to them with papers in her hands. Rider automatically got a sly look in his eye at the woman's beauty, and Tuesday hit him in the arm. _Boys, _she thought with a roll of her eyes.

"I've got both of your info right here. These are your schedules and your locker number and combinations, they shouldn't be too hard to follow." She passed the two Acostas there the various items and continued, "If you need any help just ask a classmate or one of the teachers. Anyone would be glad to help. I'm Mrs. Harrison by the way. Now you'll have to excuse me." She left with a smile and headed to the vice principal's office on the other side of the room.

As soon as she was out of listening range Rider scoffed, "Married. Psh, can't catch a break."

"We've been here 5 minutes and you already have a thing for the V.P?" Tuesday started towards the office door, "Typical."

"Hey, I'm a teenager! Raging hormones and all that." They exitied together and took a right, heading into the throng of students in the hallway, "Speaking of raging hormones… my god, look at _her_!"

Tuesday turned to see her brother gaping at a very pretty girl leaning against the lockers across from them. She had long toffee coloured hair and bright hazel eyes. She was talking animatedly to the girl next to her. She threw back her head and laughed every once and awhile, and she appeared almost Hallmark-worthy. Absolutely breathtaking.

Tuesday rolled her eyes and let her brain immediately categorize the girl. Beauty queen. Popular. Doesn't like new kids. Probably rich.

"C'mon Adolescent boy," Tuesday called, pulling on Rider's arm, "we need to hit the 1730's aisle of lockers, alright? We can't be here looking like a bunch of fish at some ritzy girl who probably won't even give you the time of day."

"Wow, thanks for that optimism Friday, I appreciate that," Rider rolled his gray eyes to the ceiling but walked with her, still checking out various kids as they walked by.

"This is nothing like Scotland, eh?" he asked looking at one particular kid with a blackberry in hand as she headed down the way, listening to her iPod.

Tuesday nodded, agreeing with her brother's statement completely. Things were a lot different back in the U.S. The last time she had been in a true American school was 2 years before, but that was Hawaii, so it was a lot different. This was completely changed from the way she was used to it going.

But like we mentioned before, all schools have the same backbone.

And Tuesday was just about to meet William Rose's backbone.

**A/N: I like this story :-)) I'll probably be adding more onto it shortly, and I've written a Harry Potter one shot that I just need to type up, for those interested. If I Fell? I hear you all asking. IT'S COMING. Honestly this chapter is utterly insane. But I DO NOT plan on giving it up so hold your tar and feathers and plane tickets to come kill me, alright?**

**-Charlie**


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